Chapter 4 - THE ROAD TO THE MILL
Noah hit the yard at a dead run.
“Emma!”
Denise shoved the child into the passenger seat and climbed behind the wheel.
The truck fishtailed backward through the mud, nearly striking a tree.
Deputy Ruiz burst from the house behind Noah, radio already in hand.
“Unit twelve, child abduction in progress. Blue Ford pickup heading east from Miller Road. Adult female driver, six-year-old female passenger.”
Caleb came stumbling onto the porch with one wrist cuffed and the other free.
“You don’t understand!” he shouted.
Sarah spun toward him.
“Then explain fast.”
Caleb looked at the disappearing taillights.
“Denise is scared.”
“Of what?”
He said nothing.
Noah grabbed the front of his shirt.
“The old mill. What’s there?”
“Get off me.”
“What’s there?”
Sarah pulled Noah back.
“Let me handle him.”
“You handle him. I’m getting Emma.”
“You don’t know these roads.”
“I know enough.”
Noah ran to his rented SUV.
Sarah made a decision in half a second.
“Fine. Follow me. Don’t pass me, don’t play hero.”
They tore down the road.
Rain hammered the windshield so hard the wipers could barely keep up. Sarah’s cruiser led the way through sharp turns and flooded dips while Noah stayed close behind.
His phone buzzed in the cup holder.
One bar of signal.
Then a message came through.
From Caleb.
NOAH DONT GO IN THERE
A second message followed.
CALL ME
Noah hit the speaker button.
Caleb answered immediately.
“Turn around.”
“No.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
“Noah, listen to me for once in your life.”
“No. You listen. If Denise hurts that little girl—”
“She won’t.”
“You sure about that?”
Silence.
Noah’s grip tightened on the wheel.
“What is at the mill?”
Caleb exhaled hard.
“Storage.”
“For what?”
“Stuff.”
“What kind of stuff?”
Another silence.
Noah understood.
“Stolen?”
“It wasn’t supposed to go like this.”
“What wasn’t?”
“I got behind on money. Denise knew people. They paid to keep things there.”
“What things?”
“Tools. Electronics. Whatever.”
“And you brought Emma there?”
“No.”
The answer came too fast.
Noah’s stomach dropped.
“How many times?”
“Once.”
“Liar.”
“Twice, maybe.”
Noah slammed his palm against the steering wheel.
“You used your daughter while you were moving stolen property?”
“I didn’t use her!”
“Then why is Denise taking her there?”
Caleb’s voice got quiet.
“Because Emma saw something.”
Noah’s chest tightened.
“What?”
Caleb did not answer.
“WHAT DID SHE SEE?”
“A man got hurt.”
The road blurred in front of Noah.
“What man?”
“One of Denise’s friends. There was an argument. He fell.”
“Fell?”
“Denise pushed him.”
“Was he alive?”
“I don’t know.”
Noah could hear Caleb breathing.
Then he heard metal clinking.
Handcuffs.
Sarah must have left another deputy with him before pulling out.
“Why didn’t you call the police?” Noah asked.
“You think Denise would’ve let me?”
“You’re her boyfriend, not her hostage.”
“You don’t know her.”
“No. But Emma does.”
Caleb’s voice cracked.
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you.”
Ahead, Sarah’s cruiser braked hard.
Noah ended the call.
A fallen tree blocked half the road.
Fresh tire tracks cut through the mud around it.
Sarah pointed left through her window.
“Mill road!”
They turned onto a narrow gravel track lined with pine trees.
A half mile later, they saw the truck.
Empty.
Driver’s door open.
Passenger door open.
No Emma.
No Denise.
Sarah grabbed her flashlight and weapon.
“Stay behind me.”
Noah ignored the second part but stayed close.
The old mill stood beyond the trees, a dark wooden building beside a dead stream. Half the roof had collapsed. Rusted machinery sat under weeds.
One weak light glowed inside.
They approached the side entrance.
Then Noah heard it.
A child crying.
Not loud.
Muffled.
“Emma!”
The crying stopped.
Sarah raised a hand.
“Quiet.”
They listened.
A floorboard creaked inside.
Then a man’s voice said, “You should’ve stayed gone, Noah.”
Noah went still.
He knew that voice.
He had not heard it in eleven years.
And the last time he had, the man had been standing over their mother’s grave.
Noah whispered the name.
May you like
“Dad?”
